What is going on with Cheshire Police? Last year they increased the Police Council Tax by 2% and in the process rejected a very substantial Government grant. Wouldn’t it had been better to accept the grant and not increase the Council Tax?
In his Autumn Statement 2015 Cheshire MP George Osborne announced that there would not be any further cuts in Government funding for the Police. We then had the announcement that Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire were to merge their headquarters in Winsford, which will SAVE £1.5m a year.
Despite all this the Police have come again with their hand out, asking for a further 3% increase in the Police Council Tax. This comes at a time when Crime in Cheshire continues to fall, with Cheshire police recording the fourth largest reduction in recorded crime across England and Wales in 2014/15.
Next door Staffordshire are not increasing their Police Council Tax so I see no reason why Cheshire Police should be raising their Council Tax yet again.
In April the Council Tax bills will be sent out and we can expect increases in the Police,Fire and Borough and possibly Town/Parish Council Tax. Most people are not getting increases in their salary/wages .They have to cut and scrape around to pay their way.
It is a pity that Cheshire Police, and all the others who are increasing their Council Tax, are not doing more to live within their means without annual increases in the amounts we are forced to pay them.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr Brian Silvester
UKIP Councillor.
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